


Dance With Me, My Lady

by juliatrojanspromfan97



Category: Head Over Heels - The Go-Go's/Whitty, The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: Crossover, F/F, Homophobia, its basically a prom renaissance au, post-canon for hoh, the hoh characters arent going to show up til later chapters sorry, the hoh characters will end up playing a similar to role to the bway characters in the prom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2019-11-13 23:22:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18041054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juliatrojanspromfan97/pseuds/juliatrojanspromfan97
Summary: Ladies-in-waiting Emma and Alyssa have to keep their relationship a secret -- but when Emma receives some unwelcome news from her parents, the two girls may not be able to stay hidden anymore. And some strangers from the faraway kingdom of Arcadia may arrive to help them out (or make things worse)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> so i posted some headcanons for a prom renaissance-esque au during unruly hearts week on tumblr, realized it would make a fun prom/hoh crossover, and here we are! (if you want to see the post, it's in my "elizabeth attempts fic" tag on my tumblr, @juliatrojans, but it does have spoilers for probably the first half of this fic so keep that in mind).
> 
> if you're here for head over heels, just heads up the hoh characters won't actually show up until chapter 4, but they play an important role!
> 
> anyway, here's the first chapter! this is my first long-term fic, i hope you like it!

Lady Emma pulled her hair back into her usual low bun, wondering how much longer it would take for the others to be ready. Lady Alyssa was threading strings of pearls through Princess Shelby’s hair, and Lady Kaylee was turning in different directions in front of the mirror, checking her reflection from every angle possible.

“Emma, I can’t get a good view of the back. How does it look? Are the laces tied evenly?”

“Um, yes, everything looks fine,” Emma responded, not really paying attention. She didn’t know much about fashion, and besides, while Kaylee did look perfectly fine, Emma’s eyes were only on Alyssa.

Her fellow lady-in-waiting was wearing a deep rose-colored gown with an intricate gold floral pattern woven through it. The front of her hair was pulled back, showing off her beautiful face while letting her lovely dark curls flow behind her. Maybe Emma was being overly admiring, but she couldn’t help it.

“I think it’s all finished, Shelby,” Alyssa said to the princess in that warm, commanding voice she used when she knew what she talking about but didn’t want to boss anyone around. Here in the princess’s chambers, the girls didn’t have to constantly abide by formal titles, but it was still worthwhile to keep in mind that Shelby was their superior.

Moving out of the way so Shelby could look in the mirror, Kaylee said, “Oh gods, you look perfect, Shel. You’ll make Prince Kevin dizzy.”

“Thank you, Kaylee,” Shelby replied. “I hope you’re right. If he doesn’t propose today, it might never happen.”

“He will,” Alyssa chimed in. “Don’t worry.”

There was a pause then. Emma wondered if she was supposed to say something, too. As the most recently recruited lady-in-waiting, having only been at Edgewater Palace, the capital of Nadania, for about ten months, she still sometimes felt left out in a group that had been living together for years. Not to mention she already didn’t fit in; the whole reason Emma’s mother and father had sent her to live in the princess’s household was in hopes that she would grow out of her “unladylike” habits.

“Emma,” Shelby said, looking her up and down, “Would you mind fixing up your hair a bit? It’s a little messy, and I want everything to be perfect for this banquet.”

“Umm…” Emma didn’t know how to respond.

“I’ll help her,” Alyssa stepped in. “Why don’t the two of you go on? We’ll meet you there in a few minutes.”

Shelby agreed, and she and Kaylee stepped out into the hall.

The two remaining girls stood in a silence for a few seconds. Then, when they were sure the others were gone, Alyssa took Emma’s face in her hands and kissed her.

 

Emma could’ve stayed like that all day. Forget the banquet. She wrapped her arms around Alyssa’s waist and let herself sink into the kiss. These moments were short and precious. They had to make the most of them.

Too soon, Alyssa pulled away. Her cheeks were flushed, making her look even more beautiful than she already was.

“I’m... supposed to fix your hair,” she said, bringing them back to reality.

“Oh, right,” Emma replied. She turned around so the back of her head was facing Alyssa. “Is it that bad?”

“I think it looks cute,” Alyssa said, and from the sound of her voice Emma could tell she was smiling. “I always think you look cute.”

Emma felt her own cheeks burn now. This, her and Alyssa, was still all so new. It had taken months for the two of them to realize their feelings for each other, and even longer for them to admit those feelings. Now, three months since the day Emma’s happiness began, they had a steady arrangement. They could steal little moments together when no one was around, but they couldn’t tell anyone. No one else would understand.

In times like this, with Alyssa running her fingers through her hair, it was easy to forget the hard parts. It was easy to forget the heavy weight of her gown or the way her feet hurt from wearing high-heeled shoes. Emma sometimes thought if she and Alyssa could run away together, they’d be free from all that. But of course, that could never happen. They would be shunned at court, and neither of them, being women, would inherit any land from their fathers.

“It’s finished,” Alyssa said. Emma felt behind her head, pleased to find that it was still in a low bun, just a neater one than she herself had made. Having her hair down made Emma almost as uncomfortable as her high-heeled shoes. If she could, she would have cut it short a long time ago.

“Thanks, Alyssa.” Emma sighed. “I guess we have to go in, then?”

“I guess so.”

“Can I kiss you again, first?”

Alyssa smiled and nodded. Emma kissed her quick, and the two girls walked into the corridor hand in hand.

 

* * *

 

Prince Kevin did not propose to Princess Shelby that afternoon.

Although Shelby was inconsolable, Alyssa was relieved. The princess’s marriage would mean changes. Big changes. And Alyssa wasn’t ready for that. Not when she was unsure what her future could possibly hold.

Here, in her mother’s sitting room, Alyssa was sure at least what one person expected of her.

“Now Alyssa,” her mother said, pacing. “If even the princess can’t get a husband, it’s going to be that much harder for you. You need to be accomplished if you want to be provided for.” Lady Greene was tall, with hair that she kept tightly back and under a cap. The olive gown she wore had few adornments, but she carried herself like the richest woman at court next to the queen.

The small chamber barely fit the harp Alyssa was practicing on and the sofa across from it. It was suffocating to spend so much of her time here, but when she wasn’t assisting the princess with something, she was usually in this room practicing her harp.

Alyssa and her mother had come to Edgewater Palace five years before to join the royal household as ladies-in-waiting to Princess Shelby and Queen Marinda, respectively. It hadn’t been by choice.

They never talked about Alyssa’s father, or about how he had sent them away from the estate five years ago so he could live with his mistress and their son. And while no one at court dared bring up the shame to Lady Greene, everyone knew about it.

Alyssa tried to tune out her mother’s rambling as she wove her fingers between the instrument’s strings. She had heard it all before, and didn’t need to hear it again. Their station in society was lowered because of Lord Greene’s abandonment. Alyssa would have to work twice as hard as the other court ladies to find a husband. When her mother was around, she felt like a prisoner being pressed to death. And one of these days she might just be put under enough pressure that she’d blurt out the truth.

Emma.

The only thing keeping her from going mad.

They had found each other at just the right time. Alyssa didn’t know what she would have done if Lady Emma hadn’t arrived at court ten months ago. Emma understood. They both had parents who felt like nothing their daughters did was good enough. They had both been shipped off to the palace from their homes. It was no surprise they were closer to each than to Kaylee and Shelby, who had grown up together. But it  _ was  _ a surprise when they got as close as they did.

Alyssa had never expected to fall in love. Her path was always clear: gather a long list of accomplishments, make a good match, marry a nobleman and have lots of children. That was what her mother expected of her, and love was never a part of it. But Emma had changed everything. The only time Alyssa felt at peace was when she was alone with Emma. Then, she didn’t need to hide anything, and didn’t need to worry. But their secret relationship had also brought with it fear. What if anyone found out? What if her  _ mother  _ found out? What did her future look like now? What  _ could  _ it look like?

Alyssa’s hands started moving more frantically across the strings of the harp, and suddenly she hit a brutally wrong note that rang through the little sitting room.

“Alyssa!” Lady Greene snapped.

Alyssa didn’t say anything, she just threw her hands down in defeat. Her mother paused and looked at her with sympathy.

“Oh, Alyssa, I didn’t mean to frighten you like that. I was just a bit startled.” She walked over to her daughter and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You must be agitated after today’s banquet. Don’t worry, dear. Just because the visiting prince didn’t propose to Princess Shelby doesn’t mean there’s no hope for the rest of you. We’ll find you a good man, I promise. Just let me do my part and you do yours. Now I’m going to see if the queen needs me. You stay here and keep practicing. You’ll be playing that song perfectly in no time at all.”

Lady Greene left the room then, her chin in the air. Alyssa didn’t start breathing regularly again until she could no longer hear her mother’s shoes clicking on the stone floor. She looked at the harp sitting before her. All she wanted to do was take a nap on the sofa across the room, but instead she lifted her hands and began playing once again. If she wanted her mother to be pleased the next time they met, she needed to perfect this song.

 

* * *

 

Emma fixated on the floating bits of dust that were visible in the streams of light coming in through the windows. No matter how long she stared, they seemed to stand still in midair, as if the air were so thick that gravity couldn’t do its work.

Everything at that evening’s supper was still and silent, other than the occasional clink of knives on plates. It was a full table, with King Lawrence and Queen Marinda at the head, Princess Shelby at her father’s side, and the lords and ladies of the household filling out the rest.

Emma sat next to Alyssa, who sat across from Lady Greene. There was something funny about the way Lady Greene looked at her daugher. A certain determination in her eye. Emma tried not to think too hard about what that could mean.

King Lawrence was the first to break the silence.

“I sent out inquiry letters to the Lords Vestengard, Britschen, and Lukster. An advantageous match will be made, be sure of it,” he said to the princess.

“Thank you, Father,” Shelby said, looking anything but grateful. The forlorn look on her face showed that she was still thinking about Prince Kevin. No one could understand why he had left for his home country without proposing. The two of them had walked the gardens every day and sat together at every meal for the four weeks he had spent at Edgewater Palace. That he would show such attention and then leave without an offer was bizarre, offensive even. As anxious as Emma was about where she would end up if Shelby married a foreign prince, she could understand Shelby’s frustration.

It was hard not being able to share a life with the one you love.

Alyssa squeezed her hand under the table. Emma squeezed back, releasing the tension of being in that room. No matter what happened in the future, at least they had each other right now.

It was then that the great doors at the of the room opened to reveal a short man carrying a small bundle of papers.

“Your majesties, your highness, your lords and ladyships, I bring correspondence,” said the man.

This was Andrew Lastelon, the king’s personal messenger. He delivered letters to members of the royal household during meals when they were all gathered together. Of course, the king received his mail privately in his study, but for the rest of them, there was no escaping the curiosity of the table.

Lastelon went around the table, handing letters to their recipients, who opened them eagerly. An update from a colleague, a thank you note from a friend, a long scribbled letter from a child. They all had people who cared outside of court.

Emma only had her mother and father, who only wrote to her occasionally to inquire about her education. So Emma never looked forward to letters, because when they came, they were just a reminder that she would never be what her parents wanted her to be.

She sighed when Lastelon handed an envelope to her. Apparently today would be one of those days.

Reluctantly, she opened the envelope and began reading.

Oh. 

Oh, no.

Emma held the letter so that no one else could see it. She needed to process this on her own for a minute.

She focused on breathing normally. That would do it.

But as she tried, all she saw were those words on the page scrambling around in her vision. Oh gods, they wouldn’t stop.

“Lady Emma, are you quite well?”

“Emma? Emma, are you okay?”

It was Alyssa’s voice that brought her back. Emma looked up and realized that the entire table was looking at her with concern.

“Oh, yes, I’m fine, thank you. I was just taken by surprise,” Emma said. “I received some… good news from my mother and father.”

“Oh, tell us then, Emma,” said Kaylee from across the table.

Emma took a deep breath, locked eyes with Alyssa for a fraction of a second, and said, “Okay.”

She read:

_ To our dearest Emma, _

_ We deliver joyful tidings, daughter. Having heard of the great progress you have made in your education at court, we have taken steps to secure your future station. We are pleased to tell you that Sir John, Lord of Lincshire has asked for your hand in marriage. We of course accepted on your behalf, and hope to hold the betrothal ceremony as soon as possible. We are so proud of you, dear. You will represent the Nolan family name well. _

Emma stopped reading there. She needn’t read the next paragraph, in which they went on about how her marriage would exceed their expectations. Everyone at the table was congratulating her, if a little awkwardly considering their princess’s situation.

But Emma wasn’t looking at them. She just looked at Alyssa, whose wide eyes said a million things, but most of all:  _ Maybe this is how it was always meant to end. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, that was a lot of exposition! Thanks for reading, if you liked it feel free to leave a comment! (or don't, I'll live either way, but I do crave validation)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! It's been a while, I hope to post chapters more frequently in the future but I went away for spring break and then I had to catch up on schoolwork so. yeah. but here's chapter 2! there's angst in this one sorry friends

Emma wouldn’t let this be the end. What she and Alyssa felt for each other was real. It was amazing and exhilarating and special. She was not going to give it up so easily.  
Which was why now she was sitting across from her parents, hands shaking as she tried to explain to them why she was refusing Lord Lincshire’s proposal.  
“Emma,” Lady Nolan said, taking another sip of tea. “I don’t think you quite understand your situation, dear.”  
Emma wrinkled her nose. “What is that supposed to mean?”  
Lord Nolan cleared his throat. “It means that you have not had a variety of suitors express interest. You are not likely to receive a better offer than Lincshire’s.”  
Hearing her parents talk about her like this made Emma’s skin crawl. She hated being treated as a misfit toy with no choice but to accept whoever had low enough standards to want her. It was not a pleasant reunion with the mother and father she hadn’t seen in ten months.  
“I’m simply not sure I’m ready to get married yet. I still have a lot to learn. After all, I’m only seventeen. I thought you didn’t get married until you were three-and-twenty.”  
“That’s true,” her mother said. “But that does not mean you have to wait as long as we did. The purpose of our sending you to court was so you could gain the skills and the graces you would need to attract a husband. You’ve done that. So there is no need for you to stay here any longer. Marry Lincshire and your life is set.”  
“But I don’t even know him! We met once and barely spoke,” Emma said, getting desperate.  
“Evidently he was attracted to you from that brief meeting. Be grateful, child, and don’t question it,” Lady Nolan retorted through gritted teeth.  
“Was he attracted to me, or my dowry?” Emma couldn’t hold back the sarcasm, she was too worked up now.  
“Enough!” Lord Nolan shouted. “You know the way things are. Lord Lincshire needs a wife. You need a husband. So marry him. There is nothing else to be said.”  
It was then that Emma said the thing she had sworn she wouldn’t say.  
“What if I love someone else?”  
There was silence.  
Finally, her mother spoke. “If you do… love someone else,” she said, speaking slowly as if choosing her words carefully. “Then why has he not proposed? Is he of sufficient station to be worthy? If you’ve fallen for a servant or commoner, then you had best forget about him. A marriage like that is impossible.”  
Emma’s father jumped in. “However, if he is a worthy nobleman and seeks a marriage, I suppose it would be possible to break it off with Lord Lincshire. After all, the engagement ceremony hasn’t taken place yet.”  
Emma didn’t know what to say next. Maybe there was hope. If her father was willing to let her break of the engagement for a nobleman of her choice, then maybe…  
“The person I love is a noble,” Emma said. “But… you see… you might find it odd…”  
“What is it, Emma?” her mother insisted.  
Emma swallowed hard. Here goes.  
“I am in love with a girl.”

* * *

 

Alyssa stood outside the door, waiting with the small crowd who had gathered to find out what would come of Lady Emma’s private audience with her parents. No one could understand why she would attempt to refuse a marriage proposal, forcing Lord and Lady Nolan to come to Edgewater Palace to convince her. It was inconceivable to the other court ladies.  
It was impossible to hear the conversation from the other side of the heavy door, which made Alyssa all the more agitated. What would they tell Emma? What would Emma tell them?  
Alyssa trusted Emma not to reveal their secret. But all the same, this situation had made everything all too real. It was a reminder that they could not go on as they had been forever. Ladies like them grew up and got married. That was they way things went.  
Ladies were supposed to grow to love their husbands, not each other.  
And then the creeping thought came into her head, one Alyssa hadn’t thought about in months.  
_You are not normal._  
The thought made her shiver. She and Emma were different from others, in some strange and permanent way. Thinking of it this way was much scarier than just thinking about her relationship with Emma. Because this was an intrinsic part of her that she would always have to hide, no matter what. From her mother, from everyone. The thought of hiding for the rest of her life was terrifying.  
But not as terrifying as letting people know who she truly was.  
Alyssa resisted the urge to put her ear against the door. Kaylee and Shelby were with her, along with a few of the queen’s ladies. Not her mother, thankfully. But Alyssa didn’t want anyone to question her extreme eagerness to know what was going on in that room.  
A few more minutes passed, and then with a click, the doorknob turned.  
Alyssa was just opening her mouth to ask how it went when Emma burst through the door and sped past before anyone could say anything. Alyssa could tell from the look on her face that Emma was trying to get away before anybody saw her cry.  
Her heart stopped. _What happened in there?_  
Alyssa knew she should go after her. But then she heard what Lord and Lady Nolan were murmuring inside the room.  
“Unnatural.”  
“Shameful.”  
“Not our daughter anymore.”  
Then she knew. Emma must have told them something about their relationship. And now her own parents wouldn’t have her anymore.  
It was Alyssa’s worst nightmare. Being known.  
Everything in her screamed to go after Emma. To hold her and let her explain and tell her they’d find a way to make it okay. But she couldn’t. Not with everyone standing there. Not with Emma’s parents beginning to explain to the crowd what had happened.  
So Alyssa just stood there, holding back tears and wishing for the moment to be over.

* * *

 

“She said she was in love with another girl.”  
“That makes no sense!”  
“The girl has gone mad!”  
“She must think she’s a boy. You know that’s why her mother and father sent her here in the first place.”  
“I wonder if she’s ill?”  
“Her parents aren’t supporting her livelihood anymore. She’ll have to leave court.”  
“Did she say who this girl is?”  
“She wouldn’t tell. Apparently it’s someone who visited the palace during a holiday.”  
“Well I hope for her family’s sake, her identity is never revealed.”  
“Where will Lady Emma go?”  
“Who knows? If she’s lucky, she’ll find a position a position as a maid.”  
“And if she’s not?”  
“Well. She’ll have to find some way to survive. And she’s already disgraced herself.”  
Emma could hear what the gossips at court were saying about her. I wasn’t surprising how fast word traveled in the castle. She was only surprised at the lack of empathy anybody had toward her.  
She truly hadn’t believed her parents would disown her over this. She knew they wouldn’t like it, but to leave her on her own, with no money and no prospects? Emma’s relationship with her parents was never great, but now she had a new perspective on how they really felt about her. She was nothing but an asset to them. And now that she had failed to do what they needed her to, they were throwing her away. Like a rotten pear.  
Emma didn’t want to feel rotten.  
Where was Alyssa?  
Emma was sitting alone in a spare servants’ room, where King Lawrence had told her she could stay until a coach arrived to take her into town, where she would be left to her own devices. All she wanted now was for Alyssa to find her and hold her. They could make a plan to see each other after she was gone, or at least they could say goodbye.  
No. This wouldn’t be goodbye. She didn’t throw away her future only to lose what mattered most.  
When she first heard a distant patter, she assumed it was another rat. They came about frequently in this cellar. But as they got closer, she realized they were too loud and far apart. And they clicked like high heels, not like the soft shoes worn by the servants.  
A slender figure appeared in the doorway.  
Alyssa!  
“You came!” Emma jumped up.  
“I’m sorry I took so long,” Alyssa said, taking both of Emma’s hands in hers. “I wanted to come sooner but everyone was watching, and then I didn’t know where you went, and then my mother was calling me, and-”  
“It’s okay,” Emma said, letting go with one hand to stroke Alyssa’s cheek. “I’m just so glad you’re here.”  
“What happened in there, Emma? I’ve only heard secondhand.”  
“My parents were putting so much pressure on me, I blurted out the truth. I told them I loved a girl. And they couldn’t accept that. They told me I was twisted and broken. That I would bring shame.”  
“Oh, my gods.” Alyssa hugged Emma then. They just stayed there like that for a minute. It was clear now. The world was against them. The world thought they were mad. And all they could do about it was hold on to each other.  
When they pulled away, Emma saw that Alyssa was crying. She wiped away her love’s tears with her thumb, but more kept coming down.  
“Emma, you’ve lost everything because of me. How can I live with myself?” Alyssa burst out.  
“No, no, no,” Emma responded. She held Alyssa by the shoulders. “Alyssa. I couldn’t bear to marry someone else when I’m in love with you. That’s true. And I refused to marry Lord Lincshire and lose what we have. But in truth… I don’t think I could ever fall in love with a man. Not even if he were the kindest man alive. It’s just how I’m built, somehow. And I think I would have figured that out eventually, no matter what. You… you are so important to me. But this is not your fault. I didn’t just tell my parents the truth because of our relationship. I did it because I have to be true to myself.”  
Alyssa let out a sob. Emma couldn’t tell whether it was of distress or relief.  
“Oh, Emma,” she said. “I don’t think I could ever fall for a man either. I think… I think we’re both different. And I’m afraid. But… here’s the thing.” She paused, taking a breath and looking down. “I want this. I want you. No matter what it takes. I’m not as brave as you, I’m not ready to tell my mother yet. But I want us to find a way to be together.”  
Now it was Emma’s turn to cry. Gods, Alyssa was so beautiful. She took her face into her hands and kissed her, tasting the salt of tears on her lips.  
This wasn’t going to be easy. But it would be worth it.

It was a few hours later when Emma, alone in her tiny room, heard a knock on the door.  
“Come in,” she said, wondering who was still willing to talk to her.  
To her surprise, one of the king’s advisors stepped through the doorway.  
“Sir Thomas?” she said.  
“Hello, Lady Emma.”  
“Uh, what are you doing here?” Sir Thomas Hawkins had always been polite to her, and he generally seemed like the sort of upstanding man who tries to do the right thing. She had no idea why he was with her now, as she was a pariah and a degenerate according to the court gossip.  
“Lady Emma, I have no children.”  
“Okay?”  
“Which means I do have some money set aside. So, I talked to the king and queen, and they have allowed me to financially support your staying at Edgewater Palace.”  
“What?”  
“You won’t be a lady-in-waiting anymore, they couldn’t handle that after today’s events. But you’ll have your own room, and you’ll be comfortable. And I fully intend to help you talk to your parents in the hopes that eventually they will accept you as their daughter once again.”  
Emma just stood there in shock for a moment.  
“You can take some time to think about it if you need to,” Sir Thomas said.  
“No, no, I don’t need to,” Emma sputtered. This was her chance to stay near Alyssa. “I’m grateful. I would love to stay. But… why are you doing this for me, Sir Thomas?”  
He paused.  
“I was thinking about what your parents did today. And it just doesn’t seem right to me that you should be disowned and sent away with nothing just because of who you love.”  
“Thank you,” was all Emma could say.  
Sir Thomas nodded. “A maid will be down here in a few minutes to show you to your new room. I’ll see you tomorrow.”  
Emma watched Sir Thomas leave the room. She was amazed that he could understand so quickly what her parents could not. And it gave her hope, that maybe, just maybe, one day, others would understand too.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been awhile, yikes!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's a short one but the next one after this will have some VERY exciting arrivals!

Grateful as she was that Sir Thomas had made sure Emma wouldn’t be sent away, Alyssa was still getting used to their new arrangement.  
It had been nearly three months since the servants dragged Emma’s bed out of the ladies-in-waiting chamber. Princess Shelby and Lady Kaylee didn’t mind much. They had never gotten close to Emma, so they settled pretty quickly back into their old routine. But for Alyssa, it wasn’t so easy. Three months of seeing her favorite person in the world only in the rare moments when they could both get away from everyone else.  
They thought hiding was hard before. Now that the entire court thought of Lady Emma as some kind of freak, it was a risk just to be seen with her.  
Alyssa hated herself for it, but she was so afraid of what people would say if they knew. Of what her mother would say.  
Shortly after the incident, Alyssa and Emma had established a hiding place. There was a closet down the hall from Emma’s room that no one ever used. It was filled with cases of aged wine that were awaiting a special occasion to be opened. Since that didn’t appear to be happening anytime soon, the wine closet was a safe place for two girls who wanted to kiss each other without being seen.  
But that afternoon Alyssa was prevented from going to see Emma by a sudden announcement from a passing member of Queen Marinda’s household.  
“Prince Kevin is back! And he’s brought the king and queen of Valencia!”  
At this news, Shelby grabbed Alyssa’s hand before she could walk any further away.  
“Oh, my gods! What am I going to do?”  
“Go find him!” Kaylee jumped in.  
Shelby froze. “He might not be here for me. What if this is just a political visit?”  
“Marriage is political,” Alyssa muttered. She didn’t realize she had said that out loud until she realized Shelby had dropped her hand and Kaylee was looking at her like she’d just kicked a puppy.  
“Why so cynical, Alyssa?” Kaylee said.  
“I… sorry.”  
“No, it’s okay,” Shelby said “Alyssa’s right. I’m a princess, and Kevin is a prince. Marriage is political for people like us.”  
They all stood there quietly for a second, the excitement of a few seconds ago toned down.  
“Well, why don’t you go find out why they’re here? Maybe Valencia needs an alliance with Nadania. You and Prince Kevin could be… meant to be,” Alyssa said, trying to make her voice sound brighter.  
Shelby was frowning and looking off into the distance. “Sure. They’re probably greeting my parents in the throne room. Let’s go there.”  
She held her chin up and walked in the direction of the throne room, clearly expecting her ladies to follow. Alyssa looked back in the direction of the wine closet. She would miss holding Emma, but for today that would have to wait.

The throne room was buzzing with the lords and ladies of the court standing in circles and talking amongst themselves. The ladies waved their fans casually as if they had no interest in the recently arrived guests. Shelby slowed her pace as she entered the room and Alyssa and Kaylee followed suit.  
She felt bad, but Alyssa was too preoccupied with her own romantic struggles to be invested in Shelby’s. While her friends walked forward to where the thrones sat on a dais, Alyssa turned to the left wall and looked out the window at the road leading away from the palace. Farther up the road was the gate and the guard tower. Wistful, Alyssa stared at the gate and wondered what it was like out there. She’d been outside of Edgewater Palace, of course. She used to live on her father’s estate. But she had never really been out there. She couldn’t run through the woods, or stroll through the town. For a long time, she had stared out that window and wondered what it would be like to be free. But now, when she imagined it, Emma was always right next to her in her vision, holding her hand.  
It was a beautiful daydream.  
But it couldn’t last forever.  
The blare of a trumpet made her turn toward the front of the room. The crowd, silent now, had formed an aisle down the center, leaving a clear path for Shelby to reach her parents. Next to her parents were the king and queen of Valencia. And next to them stood their son and heir, Prince Kevin.  
The prince stepped forward. Shelby stood still.  
He spoke. “Princess Shelby,” he said, his voice clear but a little unsteady. The silver crown on his head was a bit crooked. He looked like a schoolboy arriving late to his lesson.  
He continued, “I have been gone from Edgewater Palace for what feels like an eternity. My country of Valencia has no beauty for me after knowing you, because it cannot compare. But I had to leave, so that I could return. I went to obtain my royal father and mother’s permission to ask you for your hand. Princess Shelby, in future days I will be king of Valencia. Will you be my wife and queen?”  
Shelby said nothing. Her face betrayed none of her thoughts. Alyssa wondered whether Shelby was unimpressed with Kevin’s clearly rehearsed proposal.  
The entire court seemed to be holding their collective breath. Shelby raised an eyebrow at Kevin. He got the message.  
Prince Kevin got down on one knee and asked again, “Princess Shelby of Nadania, I love and admire you more than anyone in this world. Will you marry me?”  
Shelby smiled and walked toward him. “Yes, Prince Kevin, I would love to marry you.”  
She took his hands and pulled him to standing. The whole room erupted into applause. There were tears in Shelby’s eyes. Kaylee clapped her hands and bounced up and down.  
It had happened at last.  
The princess was engaged. The kingdom could exhale.  
It took another blow of the trumpet to get the court to settle down enough for Queen Marinda to speak.  
“Friends of the Crown,” she said. “This is a happy day indeed. And it only gets happier. As per custom, there will be a engagement ceremony to secure this auspicious alliance between Nadania and Valencia, followed by a Royal Ball! The first in years. We look forward to celebrating with you all.”  
The room erupted into applause once again. Smiles and hugging were abound. The first Royal Ball in years! It was almost more exciting than the engagement itself.

Alyssa left the throne room as fast as she could. Luckily, Shelby was too busy with her new fiancé and their families to notice.  
The corridors seemed longer than usual in her anticipation to reach the wine closet. Gods, she hoped Emma was still waiting there for her.  
With everyone gathered in the throne room, no one could see Alyssa take off her shoes and hitch up her skirts to speed up her journey. She barely noticed the pain of her feet hitting the stone floor. All she was thinking about about Emma, and how badly she wanted to dance with her at the engagement party.  
When she finally reached the door at the end of the hall, she burst through without looking where she was going, crashing straight into a stack of crates.  
“Oh, gods,” she shrieked, rubbing her nose.  
“Are you okay?” came a soft voice from behind the door Alyssa had just slammed open.  
Emma was still here! She had waited for her!  
“I am now,” Alyssa replied, despite the aches rippling through her body. “Are you okay?” She held out the hand that wasn’t holding her shoes.  
“I’m fine, don’t worry. The door missed me by a couple inches,” Emma said, taking Alyssa’s hand. “But where have you been?”  
“I’m sorry for coming so late. Kaylee and Shelby dragged me to-“  
“It’s okay,” Emma said, closing the door. “I had nothing to do anyway, really.”  
“Well, I know just how to make it up to you,” Alyssa said, putting her shoes down and taking a seat on an empty crate. She patted the spot next to her, indicating for Emma to sit down.  
Emma sat next to her on the tiny crate, making Alyssa’s heart rate speed up, not helping the fact that she was already out of breath from all the running and banging into crates.  
“So,” she said, locking eyes with Emma. Gods, her eyes were so big. “Prince Kevin came back.”  
“What?” Somehow Emma’s eyes got even bigger.  
“And he brought the king and queen of Valencia. And he proposed to Shelby!”  
Alyssa waited for a response, but Emma was still looking at her in anticipation.  
She continued, “That means there’s going to be an engagement ceremony. And a Royal Ball.”  
“Oh?”  
“All the nobles are invited. That includes you and me. All the ladies need an escort. It… had me thinking…” Alyssa wove her fingers through Emma’s, feeling a tingle run all the way up her arm.  
“Had you thinking what?” Emma said in a small voice.  
“What if...what if we were each other’s escorts? I could escort you and you could escort me.”  
“I think a lady’s escort is supposed to be a gentleman.”  
“I know.”  
Emma blinked twice. “Alyssa, are saying…”  
“I’m saying I want to tell everyone about us. I want to share what we have with the world.” She squeezed Emma’s hand. “So? Will you escort me to the Royal Ball?”  
Emma was smiling now. “I… yes!! Yes, of course!!” She leaned forward and kissed Alyssa, and for those three seconds everything was perfect. They were unstoppable. They were going to dance together at that ball and there was nothing anyone else could do about it.  
But when the closet door had opened and shut again, and Alyssa was back in ladies’ chamber with Kaylee and Shelby, she felt as if she had swallowed a rock and it was sitting in her stomach. Everyone was going to know her secret, and her life was going to change forever.

 

* * *

 

In Queen Marinda’s private study, the only light came from a candelabra standing to the side of the desk. It was evening now, and, sitting at her desk, Shelby’s mother was lit only on the left side of her face. In the dim light, she looked so much like Shelby herself that Emma could imagine she was speaking to the princess in the future.  
That didn’t give her any more courage. After all, Shelby hadn’t spoken to Emma since she was stripped of her lady-in-waiting status. She certainly wouldn’t be on her side in this case.  
Emma cleared her throat.  
“Your Majesty,” she said, her voice trembling, “I came here to ask you a question, since you are in charge of court events.”  
She fiddled with the ribbons on her skirts. She had put on a fancier gown than she normally wore now that she was no longer a lady-in-waiting, so she wasn’t used to the discomfort of being dressed up anymore. Her legs were shaking. She wished she had a chair to sit in.  
“Yes?” Queen Marinda asked, dragging out the word.  
“I- I was wondering. Every lady needs an escort to the Royal Ball, correct?”  
“That’s correct.”  
“Yes. o-of course. Well, what I wanted to know was, could...could two ladies possibly escort each other?”  
Silence. The queen furrowed her brow.  
“It is understood that each lady must be escorted by a nobleman. Two ladies escorting each other would… why, it would defeat the purpose.”  
“But, if you would let me explain…”  
“Lady Emma,” the queen interjected. “I harbor no ill will towards you. When Sir Thomas offered to take you in, the king doubted whether we should allow it. He thought with your… peculiarity it might be inauspicious to have you living in the palace at all. I spoke on your behalf, because I believe everyone is capable of improvement, and I hated to think of you thrown out on the streets. But if you try to bring your absurdities, your strange preferences, into public court life, I will not be able to help you anymore.” At this she stood. “You are dismissed.”  
Emma fought to hold back tears. For a second, she forgot herself and spouted out, “Just because you don’t allow it doesn’t mean we can’t do it. I can find a male escort to take me to the ball and then I’ll dance with whomever I want to!”  
Queen Marinda seemed taken aback by this. “Then you will be forbidden from attending.”  
“Forbidding one lady from attending the biggest event in years? Sir Thomas won’t be happy, and if he tells the other lords…”  
“Know your place!” the queen snapped.  
“I’m sorry,” Emma said, stepping back. What had she just done?  
“But,” the queen continued, “You are correct. I would prefer not to forbid a noble from attending the Royal Ball. It would be a stain on the celebration. But I cannot allow you to show up and act inappropriately.” She paused and sighed. “And so, while it breaks my heart, I will have to postpone the Royal Ball, as well as Princess Shelby’s engagement ceremony, indefinitely. The announcement will be made tomorrow. You are dismissed.”  
“But- You can’t-”  
“I can. For the last time, you are dismissed.”

Emma had barely shut the door before the tears escaped. She ran down the corridors, wiping her face with her hands, but she hadn’t even made it to her chamber when she broke down. She leaned against the cold, hard wall and sat on the ground, hugging her knees and sobbing.  
This afternoon, she was feeling better than she had in months, and now in the course of a few minutes, she had ruined everything. If only she had been more polite. If only she had been more clever. If only she had never asked, then she and Alyssa could have surprised everyone at the ball by dancing together, and no one could say anything.  
Who was she kidding? They would say everything.  
The kingdom hated her for who she was. And it would never change.  
Emma wasn’t sure how long she sat there alone, crying to herself. But she couldn’t bear the thought of getting up, of facing tomorrow, when everyone would find out what she had done.  
When her tears tried up, exhausted from crying, she trudged back to her lonely room. But she was too full of regrets to sleep that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! And if you've been reading since chapter one, thanks for being patient with me, college has me super busy.
> 
> But next chapter!! The Head Over Heels gang will finally arrive!! So get ready!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I haven't updated in a minute, but here's chapter four! As promised, the Head Over Heels characters will make their first appearance. I'm posting it for AU Day of Unruly Hearts Week 2.0, but I'm about an hour late (but I won't tell anyone if you don't). Enjoy!

Lady Emma had thought the kingdom couldn’t hate her any more than they already did. She had been wrong.

Ever since a few weeks ago when Queen Marinda announced the postponement of Princess Shelby’s engagement, and the Royal Ball with it, Emma couldn’t walk the halls of the castle without hearing whispers, or even worse, shouts.

“Miss Emma, you forgot some of your things!”

Emma groaned internally at the sound of Lady Kaylee’s voice coming from behind her. If the insulting use of “miss,” disregarding Emma’s rank, weren’t enough, the overly sweet tone of her speech made it clear Kaylee’s kindness was false.

Emma turned to see that her former friend was holding a wooden crate full of fabric. Shelby was standing next to her.

“We just wanted to make sure you didn’t lose any of your things,” Kaylee said, the most obnoxious smile Emma had ever seen taking up half her face. “Here, take them.”

Emma took the crate and looked inside. Some of her old gowns were there, all right. Torn into shreds and covered in mud.

“Destroying another lady’s property? This is how ladies and-” Emma pointed a look at Shelby “-princesses behave now I guess.”

“It’s our way of saying, ‘thank you, _Miss_ Emma!’” Kaylee retorted.

Shelby frowned. “ _Thank you._ For postponing my engagement. You know, my father would have stripped you of your title if it weren’t for Sir Thomas taking your side.”

“ _I_ didn’t postpone your engagement, your mother did. And Sir Thomas is only helping me retain what is rightfully mine.”

Shelby opened her mouth to speak again, but before she could, Alyssa appeared, her chest heaving as if she had been hurrying.

“Hey, why not leave Lady Emma alone?” she said.

“Are you on _her_ side?” Kaylee sneered.

“No I just know how to behave like a lady.”

“Alyssa’s right,” Shelby said. “Emma doesn’t need us to punish her. She’s already done it to herself. Let’s go, ladies.”

Kaylee and Alyssa curtsied before following behind the princess as she stalked off. Kaylee snickered, while Alyssa made quick eye contact with Emma. The look she gave her was somewhere between panic and an apology. Emma just shrugged. She was used to it by now.

With the three girls gone, Emma put down the crate and contemplated its contents. Luckily, the only clothes she had left behind in the ladies’ chambers were her least favorite items that she never intended to wear again. Layers of pink with excessive ruffles were all that was lost. Of course, that didn’t make her feel better about being universally hated.

While she had never felt particularly close to Kaylee or Shelby, it still hurt to know they were now angry enough to take the time to tear apart her things and toss them in mud.

She was contemplating just leaving the crate where it was, but when she remembered the job would most likely go to some poor servant, Emma picked it up and headed for her chamber.

Just then, Sir Thomas appeared.

“Lady Emma, I was just hoping see you. The ki-” he paused. “Why are you holding a crate of dirt?”

Emma attempted a laugh that came out more like a scoff. “The princess and her lady-in-waiting wanted to return some of the things I left behind.”

Sir Thomas furrowed his brow as he looked closer at the materials. “Lady?”

Emma clarified, “Just Lady Kaylee. Lady Alyssa is… kinder.”

“I see,” Sir Thomas said after a moment.

_Oh, no._ Did Emma just reveal Alyssa’s secret? She rushed to cover it up. “Probably because she has to be careful about her reputation. What with her father, and all.” _Now you just sound like a gossip,_ she thought to herself.

“Or perhaps this court isn’t as hateful as we think it is,” Sir Thomas replied. Emma exhaled, relieved that she hadn’t unwittingly betrayed Alyssa. She quickly changed the subject.

“Why was it you wanted to see me?”

“Ah, yes. It was about the Royal Ball.”

“Oh, gods,” Emma said. “What now?”

Sir Thomas leaned in. “There may be good news coming. The king and queen of Valencia are not pleased about the postponement of their son’s engagement. They want to seal the treaty between our kingdoms as soon as possible. If they put enough pressure on our king and queen, the ball may be reinstated, for the good of Nadania. And,” he continued as he took the crate of ruined clothes out of Emma’s hands, “I intend to insist on your being invited. If they refuse, they may not have my financial support the next time the crown goes into debt. But you’re going to need to come with me to meet with the royals. This won’t work unless you tell your side of the story.”

Emma struggled to find words. On the one hand, she was flustered by how generous Sir Thomas continued to be toward her. On the other hand, this whole situation was becoming too much. She would almost rather go back to her chambers and accept the fact that she could never appear publicly with Alyssa than stand up in front of everyone who hated her and face their mean comments and attacking stares.

“Sir Thomas,” she finally said. “You’ve already done so much for me.”

“I’m just trying to do what’s right. I think sometimes, when we help one person, we help make our world a kinder place.”

Emma raised her eyebrows. “You really think it’s possible?”

He nodded. “It might take a long time. But I do.” He started to walk away, still holding the crate. “I’m going to go dispose of this. The royals are meeting in the king’s office at two o’clock this afternoon. I will be there. Take some time to prepare yourself, relax, and come in when you’re ready.”

At that, Sir Thomas walked down the hallway and out of sight.

Emma wasn’t sure how to do what he had asked of her. Her hands, her knees, her entire body was shaking. _You cannot do this,_ the voice in her head was saying. She couldn’t make it stop. She couldn’t control what people thought of her. She couldn’t decide whether there would be a royal engagement or a royal ball. For now, all Emma could do was just breathe.

 

The meeting was turning out to be even more of a nightmare than Emma had expected. So many people had opinions on the matter that the proceedings had been moved from the king’s private office to the throne room. Every resident of the castle had shown up, and now they were standing and shouting at the king and queen, who were sitting on their thrones on the dais. Seats of honor had been set up for the visiting king and queen on either side of them, and they looked just as exhausted from all the chaos.

Emma broke away from Sir Thomas and squeezed through the crowd to stand in the corner. She couldn’t do this anymore. Listening to the things court members were yelling made her think she would prefer being stretched on the rack in the torture chamber.

“This is an outrage!” came a man’s voice from the other side.

“We need to protect our children!” shouted Lady Greene, holding on tightly to Alyssa, who looked as if she might be sick.

“My son won’t be dancing with another boy!” said a clueless courtier.

“Why don’t we all SETTLE DOWN?” came Sir Thomas’s booming voice. When the crowd quieted, he turned in Emma’s direction.

_Shit._ She had hoped he hadn’t noticed her sneak away.

“Now. Lady Emma, will you tell us why we’re here?” he said gently.

Emma stood frozen for a second. _Just breathe,_ she again told herself. “I just wanted to dance at the ball with the person I love, like anyone else.”

The room remained silent. No one said a word. Emma gazed across the room at Alyssa, who had broken free from her mother’s grasp. Alyssa’s eyes were roaming, observing the court’s reactions. Would Emma win them over?

Apparently not, because soon the room was filled with shouting again.

This time, the noise was broken by the rumble of the huge double doors at the end of the hall opening. Everyone turned toward the other end of the hall to see who was there.

Andrew Lastelon was standing in the gigantic doorway, breathing heavily.

“Your Majesties,” he sputtered. “Visiting royalty! Coming to the castle, now! They gave no warning, but a single messenger who road ahead. The carriage will arrive any minute!”

King Lawrence stood. “Royals from where?” he inquired.

“Arcadia, to our South,” Lastelon answered. He turned to look out a window. “They are already within sight!”

Emma, who was closest to the outside wall, turned to look. She was followed by the rest of the court, who luckily gave her her space (there was at least one benefit to being universally avoided). Sure enough, a parade was making its way toward the palace gates. Even from the second story, it was hard to get a good look at the newcomers on the other side of the outer wall. All she could make out was that there several carriages, and they were making a lot of noise.

Why would royalty visit without announcing their arrival well in advance? Did they not receive correspondence about Princess Shelby’s engagement being postponed? The questions in Emma’s head were likely shared by everyone at Edgewater Palace.

The king spoke over the crowd’s whispers of speculation.

“Well then,” he said. “Let us give our honorable guests a warm Nadanian welcome.”

 

Soon, the entire court had moved downstairs and outside to the entrance of the palace. In contrast to their previous arrangement, they were standing in an orderly fashion according to rank, with the Nadanian royal family in the center and the Valencian royal family next to them in a place of honor. Alyssa and Kaylee weren’t far from the princess, but Emma was way at the side and in the back. She could probably have gotten away with standing next to Sir Thomas, who was of a relatively high status, but at this moment she preferred to go unseen. She would have even taken the opportunity to slip away entirely if she weren’t so curious about the Arcadian royals. They had never come to Nadania in her lifetime, and she knew very little about them.

They didn’t have to wait long for the first carriage to arrive, pulled by six spotted horses. The carriage was brightly colored and elaborately decorated, making everything at Edgewater look positively plain in comparison.

The footman, a short man wearing a cap with a feather in it, approached Lastelon with a card, then returned to his post.

Lastelon read, “Presenting Queen Gynecia of Arcadia and her husband, Basilius.”

Out of the carriage stepped a graying, bearded man who, despite his fine clothes, carried himself humbly as he offered a hand to his wife.

When Gynecia emerged, Emma’s jaw nearly dropped. This woman carried herself not as a dainty flower but as a ruling monarch. The crown upon her head may have been heavy, but she stood tall as if it were no hindrance. Emma wondered if all the women in Arcadia were that strong. _Maybe I should take Alyssa and move there,_ she thought as she curtsied to the royals.

King Lawrence and Marinda made the customary greeting with them as the next carriage rolled up. Arriving in it were a young couple whom Lastelon introduced as Princess Philoclea and her husband, Musidorus. Their garments were plainer than those of the others, but were clearly made of expensive fabrics. They held hands, appearing a bit shy but looking at one another adoringly.

Next came Lord Dametas, an older, stocky man, along with someone named “Pythio.” Emma couldn’t tell whether Pythio was a man or a woman, but they looked powerful, as if they could see through the stone walls of the castle from the outside.

Finally, one last carriage, this one painted pink with gold accents, pulled up to the entrance.  Lastelon hesitated as he read their card of introduction.

“Princess Pamela, heir to the throne of Arcadia,” he said, “and her…wife, the Lady Mopsa.”

There was silence among the Nadanians. Emma’s heart dropped. Then it flew into the air. Then it settled somewhere in her throat.

A princess? With a wife? Was that even possible?

Two beautiful women stepped out of the carriage. Emma immediately recognized Princess Pamela, whose long red hair matched her mother’s. She wore an elaborate gown of blue with green ribbons, and smiled as if she had never been happier. Her wife (Emma couldn’t believe she was able to say those two words together), Mopsa, had lush dark brown hair and carried herself with confidence.

When the Nadanians gathered their wits enough to bow and curtsy to these last arrivals, Pamela disregarded them and began searching the crowd with her gaze.

“Where be the young lady?” she said.

Confusion ran through the court. King Lawrence asked her to clarify.

Pamela added, “I seek the young lady who loves another lady. I am to understand she is among your people.”

The awkward silence continued as Emma tried to decide whether or not to identify herself.

Before she could, Lady Greene stepped forward. “With all due respect, your majesties,” she said, “just why did you people come here?”

Queen Gynecia spoke in a commanding voice. “We comest from the faraway kingdom of Arcadia, bringing our new beat, of which you may have heard spoken. We heard of injustice and travelled here to Nadania, thy tiny little minds to pry open.”

Queen Marinda had an incredulous look on her face. “Pardon?” she said.

“What my mother says is true,” Princess Pamela said, facing Marinda now. "Thou hast acted in a horribly old-fashioned manner, in postponing an engagement ball, a celebration of love, in order to separate a bond of love which thou dost not understand.” At this, she took Mopsa’s hand. “And so I ask again: Where be the young lady?”

This time, Emma didn’t hesitate. She stepped forward to the crowd.

“It’s me,” she said, her voice shaking.

The two women approached her.

“Lady Emma,” Mopsa said. “Princess Pamela and I share a bond like thine and thy lady’s, and our entire company is here to help thee.”

Emma blanked. She wanted to look to Alyssa but didn’t dare. All she could do was look at the strangers who were here to help her and say, “Okay.”

 

* * *

 

Alyssa was freaking out. These strangers from Arcadia had just made everything that was bad a million times worse.

It was later in the day, and she had sneaked away from Kaylee and Shelby to knock on the door of Emma’s chamber.

Alyssa didn’t wait for Emma to fully open the door before she strode in, saying, “This is horrible. My mother is going mad.”

She didn’t turn to face Emma, afraid she would break down if she looked in her eyes. Her heart was pounding and she was trying not to cry. _How did it go this far?_

“Alyssa, I’m sorry. I didn’t intend for this to happen,” Emma pleaded.

Alyssa didn’t turn around. Instead she focused on the green window curtain and willed the tears to stay inside her body.

“Alyssa, come on.”

_Go away, tears! I can’t cry now, my mother will know something is going on._

“Alyssa, this is not my fault. You know that, right? I don’t want to make a fuss or bring the kingdom into the modern world or change the culture. All I want is to dance with you.”

That was it. Alyssa let out a small sob and her tears came. She turned around to face her love, seeing no sense in maintaining her distance any longer.

“I know,” she squeaked, and took both of Emma’s hands in hers.

“Maybe the Arcadians can actually help us,” Emma said. “Maybe… maybe the Royal Ball will be reinstated, and we’ll be able to dance together after all.”

Alyssa placed a soft, closed-mouth kiss on Emma’s lips.

“I hope you’re right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was that basically a straight adaptation of Just Breathe, It's Not About Me, and Dance With You? Yes. Is the rest of the fic going to be like that? Nope. There will be twists! (eventually)
> 
> I know the introductions to the HOH characters were a bit rushed, but we're going to see much more of them in the coming chapters!
> 
> Thanks so much for reading, and feel free to leave a comment!


End file.
